Weapons
All aircraft carry their unique setup of weapons. Most weapons are automatically carried when selecting a certain aircraft type, but others are only available through upgrades. Many weapons have a lock-on mechanic, making aiming them easier. Both locking on and being locked on with alert you as these things happen with a beeping sound, and in the case of the SARH a small red line alerting you of the direction the missile will be coming from. The heatseeking, anti-tank, anti-radar, and SARH missiles have different angles in front of the aircraft that an eligible target must be within with the right weapon selected in order for the lock-on to start. A lock-on can be acquired without a direct line of sight to the target, for example if a target is behind a mountain. Be careful not to waste your missiles on the sides of the mountains, and if you are being targeted yourself try hiding behind one if needed to have the missile destroy itself. Heatseeking Missiles The heatseeking missiles are available for the NATO F-16 and F-15 and the PACT MiG-29 and Su-27. These aircraft spawn with 2 by default and are resupplied with them by landing at the landing strip. While selected they will automatically acquire a target and start to lock-on. After a few seconds of targeting a single aircraft the lock will be complete and a missile can be launched. If the lock-on is not broken and you still have additional missiles you can continue to fire them without having to lock-on again. If the lock on is broken however any missiles already fired while locked on will still track the target. The angle for heatseeking missiles is the largest lock on angle in game, and it can lock-on from a middling distance compared to other weapons. "Dumb firing" (launching the missile without having a lock-on) is also possible, and the missiles are still able to acquire a target after being fired without the aid of the pilot. It is also possible for a missile at hit a creep or FOB but this does not appear to do any damage. The upgrades for the heatseeking missiles are as follow: * Dogfighting Loadout: Carry two extra heatseeking missiles. * Heavy Missile Warheads: All missiles deal 25% extra damage. * Helmet-Mounted Sight: Provides a 10 degrees wider maximum lock-angle for heatseeking missiles. Semi-Active Radar Homing (SARH) Missiles The SARH missile is available only to the NATO F-15 and PACT Su-27. These aircraft spawn with 2 and are resupplied with them by landing at the landing strip. SARH missiles cannot be fired without a lock-on, and will only lock-on to enemy aircraft. If an enemy is locked onto you with a SARH missile, the only indicators with be a red line pointing to the aircraft that launched the missile and the sound of a missile being fired. Unless you have the Chaff upgrade which lets you disrupt the lock-on, they only chance of avoiding a SARH missile is to try and dodge around it or to have it hit something else, namely the mountains on the map. the only upgrade for the SARH is Heavy Missile Warheads, which increases the damage of all missiles by 25%. Bombs Bombs are available to the NATO F-16 and A-10 and the PACT MiG-29 and Su-25. These aircraft spawn with 2 and are resupplied with them by landing at the landing strip. The upgrades for the bombs are as follow: * 1000lb Bombs: Heavier bombs that do 25% extra damage. * Bomber Loadout: Carry four smaller bombs instead of two larger. These bombs each deal 75% of the damage of the normal ones. Guns All aircraft have main guns, though each carries a different amount of ammo be default. Light fighter bombers, the NATO F-16 and PACT MiG-29, start with 120 rounds, close air support aircraft, the NATO A-10 and PACT Su-25, get 200 rounds, and the air superiority class of aircraft, the NATO F-15 and PACT Su-27, have 150 rounds. The damage of the main guns actually has some variation between aircraft. the light fighter bomber and air supremacy classes share the same damage of 20, but the A-10 and Su-25 do differing amounts. The A-10 with still do 20 to aircraft, but that will be buffed up to 40 when attacking ground units, while the Su-25 will simply do an extra 50% damage normally giving it 30 damage. To target a creep it is best to slow down and line yourself up with that creep. There is no need to worry about the pitch of your aircraft as the gun seems to be able to shoot down at creeps provided you maintain enough distance to the creep you are targeting, and the inclination of the shots will adjust as you approach so that you can still hit the creep. The upgrades for the guns are as follow: * High Explosive Bullets: Increases the gun damage by 15%. * Extra Ammo: Gives 80 extra round for the gun. Anti-Tank Missiles Anti-Tank Missiles are only available for the NATO A-10 and the PACT Su-25. 4 are provided per take off and resupply. These require a lock-on to fire and will only lock-on to creeps, AAA, and FOBs. The only upgrade for the anti-tank missiles is Heavy Missile Warhead, increasing the damage by 25% Anti-Radar Missiles Anti-Radar Missiles are only available once you have purchased the SEAD Loadout upgrade, but they are then supplied to all class of aircraft for you. you are given 1 per takeoff and resupply once purchased. while the Heavy Missile Warhead upgrade may effect these, anti-radar missiles will destroy anything they can lock onto with 1 hit.